Business machine improvement



NOV. 11, 1958 RElL BUSINESS MACHINE IMPROVEMENT Filed ma 15, 1956 4Sheets-Sheet 1 3 .5543 c cc FE E /a [N V EN TOR.- 0 bar Rd Nov. 11,1958- Filed May 15, 1956 &

F/G.Z

I I 17 Z 17 .l' 17' E 11" E 11' Z 12' H. REIL 2,859,850

BUSINESS MACHINE IMPROVEMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

H ther? Re;

Nov. 11, 1958 R 2,859,850

BUSINESS MACHINE IMPROVEMENT Filed May 15, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet sINVENTOR. Hefber IRQQ BY-' W fla gxm Nov. 11, 1958 H. REIL BUSINESSMACHINE IMPROVEMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 15, 1956 mmi INVENTOR.e'd

awsSv Hmrber 1 R Axe/L we.

United States Patent BUSINESS MACHINE IMPROVEMENT Herbert Reil, Furth,Bavaria, Germany, assignor to Triumph Werke Nurnberg A. G., Numberg,Germany Application May 15, 1956, Serial No. 585,037 Claims priority,application Germany May 17, 1955 8 Claims. (Cl. 197-19) The presentinvention relates to a new and improved business machine. Moreparticularly, the .present invention relates to a new and improvedarrangement for electrically operated business machines whereinapredetermined combination of printing members may be actuated aplurality of times.

In conventional business machines, such as bookkeeping machines, it isoften necessary to print the same combination of numbers a plurality oftimes. For example in making bookkeeping entries, it is often necessarythat the date of the particular bookkeeping entry, whether it is a debitor a credit, be entered adjacent the column in which the entry itself isto be made. In addition other types of information is sometimesrepeatedly made and entered in bookkeeping ledgers. For example aparticular customer may have a certain customers number which identifiesthis customer in the bookkeeping ledger. Accordingly, this customersnumber is printed before an entry is made in a column referring to thetransaction had with that particular customer.

With ordinary electrically operated bookkeeping machines, it isnecessary to print the date manually each time this information isrequired. This information is usually necessary every time an entry ismade in a new column in the bookkeeping ledger. It is apparent that sucharrangements require the same numbers or dates to be entered at thebeginning of each new column by the manual operation ofthc printing ortypewriting levers.

On the other hand, with the present invention, the de sired informationis automatically printed just before a new entry is to be made. Forexample, the tabulating key on the business machine determines thepositions of the various columns in the bookkeeping ledger. Accordingly,with the present invention every time the tabulating key is depressed tomove the carriage holding the bookkeeping ledger to the new columnposition, the required information, such as the date, is printed at thebeginning of the column.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to overcome theabove described disadvantages of conventional bookkeeping machines.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved electrically operated business machine wherein informationwhich must be printed a plurality of times on the same paper in thebusiness machine, is automatically printed thereon.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedmethod and apparatus used with electrically operated business machineswherein a predetermined desired combination is printed a plurality oftimes on difierent portions of the paper in the business machine,whenever desired.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved method and apparatus for use with electrically operatedbusiness machines wherein the date of a bookkeeping entry isautomatically printed whenever desired, without manual operation of theprinting members of the business machine.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved method and apparatus for use in electrically operatedbookkeeping machines wherein a predetermined printed combination isautomatically printed at the start of every new column in thebookkeeping ledger.

Still another object of the present invention'is to provide a new andimproved method and apparatus for use in electrically operatedbookkeeping machines wherein a first switching means connected incircuit between the energizing means and each of the actuating members,each of the first switching means being movable between a plurality ofcircuit-closing and circuit-opening positions, a plurality of secondswitching means connected in circuit between said first switching meansand said energizing means, each of the second switching means beingrespectively movable between a circuit-closing position for each of thefirst switching means respectively and a circuitopening positiontherefor, operating means for sequentially moving the second switchingmeans through each of its circuit-closing positions whereby when one ofthe first switching means and one of the second switching means aresimultaneously in circuit-closing position, an energizing circuit forone of the actuating members is completed and the actuating member isenergized and actuates at least one of the printing members of thebusiness machine; and third switching means operated by the papercarriage to actuate the operating means.

In one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention the firstswitching means includes a plurality of slidably mounted members whereasin a second preferred embodiment the first switching means includes aplurality of rotatably mounted members.

In still a further embodiment of" the present invention instead of eachactuating member actuating a printing member, at least one of theactuating members actuates a spacing member so that no printing isentered on the paper in the business machine but rather a space isprovided between two adjacent entries, whenever desired.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a side view of an electrically operated business machine inwhich the present invention may be incorporated;

Fig. 2 is an electrical schematic diagram of a first embodiment of thepresent invention;

Fig. 2a is an electrical schematic diagram of a second embodiment of thepresent invention;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of the keyboard of thebusiness machine, which portion includes the control members for thepresent invention;

Fig. 4 is a table showing the possible arrangement of the printingmembers to provide the difierent desired combinations which are to beautomatically and repeatedly printed in accordance with the presentinvention;

Fig. 5 is a graph showing the variation of the different operatingmembers of the present invention with respect to time;

Fig. 6 is an electrical schematic diagram of still another embodiment ofthe present invention;

Fig. 7 is a view of a portion of the keyboard of the electricallyoperated business machine incorporating the principles of the presentinvention showing another embodiment of control members therefor;

Fig. 8 is an electrical schematic diagram of a further embodiment of thepresent invention; and

Fig. 9 is a table showing the difierent printing combinations availablewith the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 8. Referring to the drawings andmore particularly to Fig. 1, it can be seen that the electricallyoperated business machine includes a main housing 11 having a carriage12 by means of which a paper is to be inserted in the business machineand on which paper the bookkeeping entries are to be made. Adjacent thepaper carriage E2 is shown a printing lever 13 together with itselectromagnetic actuating member G. That is, whenever an electromagnet Gfor a particular typing member 13 is energized, that typing member willbe moved into contact with the paper on the paper carriage 12 so thatwhatever character is arranged on the particular actuated typing memberwill be imprinted on the paper in the bookkeeping machine.

Arranged on the rear portion of the paper carriage 12 is a contact Cwhich is adapted to make sliding contact with a second contact member CThe relative positions of the contact members C and C may be displacedin the manner of tabulator keys in an ordinary business and bookkeepingmachine. Therefore, each time the paper carriage is shifted through aposition wherein contacts C and C make contact with each other, acircuit is closed, which circuit corresponds to a particular tabular orcolumn position on the paper in the paper carriage of the machine.

On the front portion of the machine are shown diagrammatically, movablecontacts A A A and A The purpose of these contacts will be explainedhereinbelow with reference to Figs. 2 and 3. In addition, in Fig. 1, amovable member B is shown cooperating with a movable contact 31connected to a relay winding 32. It can be seen that the relay 32includes a second, fixed, contact 33 which is adapted to cooperate withthe contact 31. When the member B is manually depressed the contacts 31and 33 may be electrically connected to each other so that an energizingcircuit for the relay 32 may be completed. The member B may be atabulating member, for example, for the business machine.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, an embodiment of the presentinvention will be described which is particularly adaptable for theprinting of the date of entry at the start of each new column of thepaper in the paper carriage 12. In Fig. 3, it can be seen that the fourmembers A -A are slidably arranged on the keyboard of the bookkeepingmachine. The member A may be moved into any one of four positionsidentified as 0, 1, 2, and 3. Similarly, the member A may be moved toany one of ten positions identified with the numerals 0-9. The member Amay occupy any one of two posi tions identified as 0 and l, and themember A, may be moved into any one of ten different positionsidentified as 0-9. This arrangement corresponds to a day and montharrangement for the date. The particular arrangement shown in Fig. 3corresponds, for" example, to the European type of date indicationwherein the first number is the day of the month and the second numberis the month. Since for most bookkeeping purposes it is In thearrangement of Figs. 3 and 4 it can be seen that the member Acorresponds to the first printing space and represents the tens space ofthe dayof the month. Similarly, the member A corresponds to the secondprinting space and identifies the unit space of the day of the month.The member A identifies the tens space of the month and the member A,identifies the unit space of the month. Since there are no more than '31days in the month, it is apparent that positions 0, l, 2 and 3 aresufiicient for the tens space for the day of the month and similarly,the positions 0 and 1 for the member A, are sutficient for the tensspace for the month.

Referring now to Fig. 2 it can be seen that the members A A arerepresented as four slidably mounted members which may be moved asbridging contacts between normally open contacts in the apparatus. Eachof the pairs of normally open spaced contacts correspond respectively toa different actuating member for the printing levers 13. It can be seenthat ten actuating members G G G G G G G G G and G are arranged in sideby side relationship in Fig. 2. One terminal of each of the actuatingmembers Gg-Gg, which may be electromagnetic relays, for example, areconnected to a common conductor 15 which is in turn connected to thepositive terminal of a source of direct current potential. This sourceis not illustrated in order to avoid unnecessarily complicating thedrawing. In addition a fuse 16 is arranged in the conductor 15 toprotect the unillustrated voltage source.

The other terminal of the actuating relay G is connected by a conductor17 to the normally open contacts numbered I, II, III, and IV. That isthe second terminal of the relay G is connected to four difierent fixedcontacts, one for each of the members A -A Opposite the contact I is asecond contact I which is connected by conductor 17' to a fixed contactI". The fixed contact I" is one of a plurality of contacts I", II",III", and IV" which are arranged on a switch W2. The switch W2 has amovable member 36 which is adapted to be moved sequentially into contactwith each of the fixed contacts III IVII.

The second contact II is connected by conductor 37 to the second fixedcontact II" of the switch w Simi larly, the third contact III isconnected by conductor 38 to the third fixed contact III" of the switchW and the contact IV is connected by a conductor 39 to the fourthcontact IV" of the switch w In the illustrated position each of thespaced contacts 1-1, to IV-IV are shown bridged by the members a a Itcan be seen that each of the members a -a may be moved to bridge any oneof the respective bridge contacts for the nine other actuating members G-G The actuating member G is connected to four contacts I-IV. Theactuating members G and G are connected respectively to contacts markedI, II and IV. Finally, the actuating members G -G are each respectivelyconnected to two contacts marked II and IV.

It is apparent that the actuating members A and A; may be moved tobridge any one of the ten circuits for the ten actuating members G -GSimilarly the actuating member A may be used for bridging the energizingcircuit of energizing members Go-Gg and the member A may be used forbridging the energizing circuits for the actuating members G and G Itcan also be seen that the contacts which are spaced from the contacts ofthe actuating members G G are also connected to their respectivelynumbered contacts I"-IV" of the switch w Similarly the power supplyconductor 15 is connected to one terminal of relays D, E and F. Theother terminal of the relay D may be connected to ground through twoparallel circuits, one of which includes the n'ormally open switch C andthe other of which includes the normally open switches d and W The otherterminal of the relay B may be connected to ground through the normallyopen switch d: and the normally closed switch f Finally, the otherterminal of the relay F may be connected to ground through the normallyopen switch e. Also, the stepping switch w: may be connected to groundthrough its movable member 36 and the normally open switch f Theoperation of the apparatus incorporating the principles of the presentinvention may best be indicated by way of an illustrative example and byreference to Figs. 2 and 5. If it is desired to print the datecorresponding to April 5, for example, the day of the month indicators Aand A are set to indicate the fifth day of the month. Therefore Aremains at and A is moved to bridge the open contacts II and II of theactuating relay G This is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and in Fig. 3.Similarly since April is the fourth month, the member A remains in thezero position and the member A is moved to the fourth positicn whereinit bridges the contacts IV and IV in the energizing circuit of theactuating member G When the contacts C, C; are closed due to theposition of the paper carriage 12 of the bookkeeping machine, the relayD is energized. In Fig. 5, the energization and deenergization of aparticular relay is indicated by a small vertical line. Therefore it canbe seen that the closure of the contacts C, C and the energization ofrelay D to be deactuated. When the relay F is deactuated, however, itsnormally closed contact is again closed. Since the relay D is nowself-holding, the normally open contact d will remain in closed positionso that the relay E is again actuated. This will close the normally opencontact e, thereof and again energize the relay F. This closes thenormally open contact 1; causing the stepping switch W3 to step to itsnext position corresponding to the contact II". This completes theenergizing circuit for the member A which in the illustrative examplecauses the energization of the actuating member G The cycle is thenrepeated so that the numeral 5 is printed on the next typing space. Itshould be noted that in accordance with conventional business machinesonce an actuating member causes the printing movement of the typewritinglever 13, the paper carriage 12 will be stepped into its next typingposition by the conventional apparatus contained therein. Therefore thenext actuated typing member, which in this case was the membercontaining the numeral 5 and actuated by the actuating member G it isprinted in the proper space therefor. Of course, when the paper isshifted by the shifting apparatus of the business machine, the-contactsC and C are opened. As indicated hereinabove, this is of no consequencesince the relay D has already become self-holding. After the relay occursimultaneously. The thin horizontal line corre- 3 sponds to the timeinterval during which a relay is energized or a contact remains closedbut before the relay itself is actually actuated or deactuated.Similarly the thick black line of the time diagram of Fig. 5 indicatesthe time interval during which a relay is actually actuated.

Therefore it is seen that although the relay D is energized as soon asthe contacts C and C are closed, the relay D is not actually actuatedfor a short time period indicated by the start of the heavy blackhorizontal line corresponding to D in Fig. 5. When the relay D isactually actuated, its normally open contacts a and d are closed. Ittherefore can be seen that the relay E is energized through the closedcontact d; and the normally closed contact h. After a short timeinterval corresponding to the thin line segment of Fig. 5 the relay E isactuated and closes its normally open contact 2. This energizes therelay F which becomes actuated after a short time interval. When therelay F is actuated it closes its normally open contact f and opens itsnormally closed contact f;. The closing of the contact f energizes thestepping switch W and causes the movable contact 36 thereof to move intoelectrical contact with the first fixed contact I". Simultaneously, theswitch W is closed to maintain the relay D in energized and actuatedposition regardless of the further operation of the contact C.

Accordingly, the first energizing circuit for the memher A is completedand the actuating member corresponding to the member A is energized andactuated. In the illustrative example the member A remained in theenergizing circuit for the actuating member G and therefore thisactuating member will be actuated and the numeral 0 imprinted in thefirst typewritten space at the start of the column.

However, when the normally closed contact f opens, the relay E becomesdeen'ergized. However, this relay is a time delay relay so that it doesnot open up for a period of time which is sufiicient to permit theactual imprinting of the first printed numeral corresponding to theposition of the member A After this predetermined time delay, whichactually can be very short, the relay E causes its normallyopen contacte to open, thereby d:-

energizing the relay F and opening the contact f When the contact f isopened the energizing circult for the actuating member G is openedcausing the same F has become actuated, the normally closed contact fthereof is opened to again deenergize the relay E. Therefore the cycleis repeated and the stepping switch w, is stepped through the subsequentpositions thereof to complete the energizing circuit sequentially forthe members A and A At the end of the last position of the steppingswitch w, the next actuation thereof will open the contact w; thereof,thereby opening the self-holding circuit of-the relay D and dcenergizingthis relay. At this point the operating apparatus of the presentinvention is completely deenergized.

It is of course appreciated that the time scale shown in Fig. 5 isgreatly magnified so that the actual printing of the four numeralscorresponding to the four control members A -A occurs substantiallyinstantaneously. It is also clear that these four numerals have beenprinted without any additional manual operation by the operator of thebusiness machine. It is also clear that these numerals or any otherdesired predetermined combination of numerals may be printed on thepaper at any desired location, as long as the contacts C and C areclosed just prior to the desired column position.

Similarly, it is not essential that the predetermined combination ofprinted members correspond to a date. For example, this combination cancorrespond to a particular customer wherein the entry in the bookkeepingledger applies to the customer and identifiesthe customer. Also, it isalso clear that the present invention need not be limited to a printingapparatus since any type of marking or other types of storing means maybe actuated by the various actuating members Ci -G Referring now to Fig.2a a slightly modified circuit is provided wherein the samepredetermined combination of characters to be printed may be printed aplurality of times along the same horizontal line of the paper. Forexample, the predetermined characters may be printed at the start ofeach column entry in the bookkeeping ledger along a horizontal line onthe bookkeeping ledger. In Fig. 2a, the switch C, here indicated as C'is constructed as a double throw switch rather than as a single throw.In this embodiment, it can be seen that when the member B, correspondingto the tabulator key on a business machine, is depressed to make contactwith the fixed electrical contact B, an energization circuit for therelay H is completed. The relay H corresponds to the tabulator actuatingrelay so that the paper carriage is moved in the conventional manner forsuch machines into its next column position in accordance with thepreviously set aeeaeeo 7 tabulator members, usually located at the rearof the machine.

When the carriage 12 of the business machine has been moved into its newcolumn position, the sliding contact C on the back of the carriage makescontact with the previously set mating contact C This completes theenergization circuit for the D relay in the same manner as indicated forFig. 2. Accordingly, the energized D relay, upon actuation thereof,closes its normally open contacts d and d to start the printing cyclefor the predetermined combination of typing members chosen in Zccordancewith the position of the control members It is apparent that theremaining elements of the circuit of Fig. 2a are the same as theelements in the circuit of Fig. 2 and accordingly these elements are notillustrated. With the circuit of Fig. 2a, the predetermined combinationof characters to be printed will be printed each time that the tabulatorkey B is depressed, if so desired.

Of course, if it is desired not to have this combination printed eachtime the tabulator key is depressed, an additional cutout switch may beprovided forrendering the circuit ineffective. However, if it is desiredto print the predetermined combination of characters each time a newentry is to be made in the bookkeeping ledger, the circuit of Fig. 2 isadvantageous. Of course, onceth'e predetermined combination ofcharacters has been printed on the paper in the business machine andthis circuit is deenergized and deactuated, the operator of the businessmachine is free to manually operate the keys of the business machine inthe conventional manner. In this way the usual entries are made on thebookkeeping ledger to indicate what items have been subjects oftransaction and the dates of these entries will be automatically enteredeach time the carriage is moved to a new tabulator and column position.The advantages of such an arrangement are obvious..

Referring now to Figs. 6 and 7, an arrangement is shown wherein thecontrol members A' -A' are each arranged as rotatable switches ratherthan slidable switches as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. It can be seen in Fig.7 that the rotatable switches A' -A' are respectively manually set byknurled rotatable members A" respectively.

As can be seen in Fig. 7, the numerals 0, 5, 0, 4 have been positionedby the manually rotatable members A" respectively and these numbers arereadily visible through transparent windows or other openings 18' in thehousing of the machine. As is apparent from Fig. 7, the desired numeralsto be illustrated are engraved on rotatable wheels 22 attachedrespectively to the manually rotatable knurled members A" A" As in Fig.2, the control circuit of Fig. 6 provides ten actuating electromagneticrelays Go-Gg, respectively. One terminal of each of the actuating relaysor members Gr-Gg is connected to the energization source conductor 15through the switch 16 and the other terminal of each actuating member isconnected to a conductor 17. Each of the contacts of the rotatableswitches A' A' is connected respectively to the other terminals of theactuating members Go-Gg- Therefore, when the switches A' -A' are movedto the chosen characters so that the predetermined combination ofcharacters is provided, the circuit is ready for operation.

As explained hereinabove with respect to Fig. 2 when the contact C whichis dependent upon the desired column position on the paper in thebusiness machine, makes contact with its mating contact C, the relay Dis energized. The relay D then acts to close its normally openedcontacts d, and d with the same cyclical results explained with respectto Fig. 2. It should be noted that the switch w: can be eithermechanically or electromagnetically actuated. That is, when the contact1; is moved into circuit closing position it can be mechanically conf'of characters.

8 nected to the switch W3 which may be a cam-operated switch, forexample, so that the switch w, is automatically moved into its nextsequential position.

After the time cycle described hereinabove with respect to Figs. 2 and 5is carried out in the circuit of Fig. 6, all of the predeterminedcombinations of characters are printed and the circuit becomesdeactuated. At this point the business machine is ready for the entry tobe made on the ledger. When the entry is completed and the carriage ismoved to the next column position, the column-dependent contact C againmates with its mating contact C and the cycle is repeated.

Referring now to Figs. 8 and 9 a circuit similar to Fig. 6 is shownhaving an additional feature. This additional feature is provided by theadditional electromagnetic relay GL. The relay GL is operated to providea space between the character corresponding to the day and the charactercorresponding to the month. The table of Fig. 9 shows that in the firsttwo printing or typing spaces any numerals from 0-39 may be entered forthe day of the month. Similarly the fourth and fifth typing spaces mayprovide any combination of numerals between 0-19 for the month of theyear. This is in agreement with the table shown in Fig. 4. However inFig. 9,

the third typing or printing space is shown to be blank.

This corresponds to the spacing actuating member GL.

In Fig. 8 it can be seen that the switch w, is provided with five fixedcontacts instead of the four fixed contacts. In this figure the centeror third fixed contact is connected on a conductor 24 to a conductor Lto one side of an actuating member or relay GL. The other terminal ofthe relay GL is connected to the power supply conductor 15 in the samemanner as the other relays G G In operation, when the column-dependentmovable contact C mates with the contact C the energization circuit forthe relay D is completed. Therefore, this relay moves its normally opencontacts d and d into circuit-closing position. This energizes the relayE and upon actuation thereof the relay F is energized due to thecircuit-closed position of the switch e.

The energized and actuated relay F attracts its normally open contact fto move the switch W2 into its first sequential position to complete theenergization circuit for the actuating member controlled by the member AAs before the switch w is moved in sequence through its variouspositions. However, when the third contact is placed incircuit-completing position, the relay GL is actuated so that thecarriage of the bookkeeping machine is stepped one typewriting spacewithout any character being-imprinted on the paper. This provides thedesired spacing position. It is clear that this spaced position can bearranged so as to occur in between any of the desired characters merelyby properly connecting the switch W2.

After the relay GL has been actuated, the switch w, is moved into itsnext sequential position to complete the energization circuit for theactuating member set up by the member A' When the cycle is completed andthe switch W has been moved through its five operating positions, therelay D becomes deenergized, as before, and the circuit becomesdeactuated. Again, the bookkeeping machine is now ready for additionalentries by manual operation of the remaining keys thereof.

It is therefore apparent that in any of the above described embodimentsof the present invention, the typing or printing keys of the business orbookkeeping machine are sequentially operated to print a desiredcombination The desired combination may be predetermined by the settingof the control members A A Of course it is clear that there is nopractical limit to the number of control members that may be used andthat any type of entries can be automatically made whether it includesnumbers or letters or the like. These predetermined numbers or lettersare manually set up by the operator on the machine before the typing orprinting operation begins. Then as the entries are made in thebookkeeping machine, in the usual fashion, the desired combination ofcharacters is automatically imprinted on the paper before thetransaction is ended in the proper column. Since the four numbersused inthe illustrative example hereinabove can be typed or printed at asubstantially higher rate than is possible by manual operation of thekeys, it is clear that a substantial time saving is involved. Inaddition, the repetitious entry is avoided so that operator fatigue islessened. This also eliminates the human error wherein the operator ofthe machine may forget to enter the necessary date or customeridentification number. In such instances a great deal of work issometimes necessary to find which customer should be charged for aparticular transaction or to find the date of the particulartransaction.

With the automatic operation provided by the new and improved circuitand apparatus of the present invention these difiiculties are avoided.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more vtogether, may also find a useful application in other types ofelectrically operated machines differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in anelectrically operated bookkeeping machine, it is not intended to belimited to the details shown, since various modifications and structuralchanges may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of thepresent invention.

Without further analysis, theforegoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In an electrically operated business machine having printing members,in combination, a movable carriage member mounted on the businessmachine and adapted to have a paper mounted therein for printingpurposes; a plurality of electrically energizable actuating members forrespectively actuating the printing members upon energization thereof;energizing means connected in circuit with each of said actuatingmembers for energizing the same whenever an energizing circuit thereforis completed; a plurality of first switching means connected in circuitbetween said energizing means and each of said actuating members, eachof said first switching means being respectively movable between aplurality of circuit-closing and circuit-opening positions; a pluralityof second switching means connected in circuit between said energizingmeans and said plurality of first switching means, each of said secondswitching means being respectively movable between a circuit-closingposition for each of said first switching means, respectively, and acircuit-opening position therefor; operating means for sequentiallymoving said second switching means through each of said circuit-closingpositions whereby when one of said first switching means and one of saidsecond switching means are simultaneously in circuit-closing position,an energizing circuit for one of said actuating members is completed andsaid one actuating member is energized to actuate at least one printingmember; and third switching means cooperating with said carriage memberand adapted to be moved by the same between circuit-opening andcircuitclosing positions for initiating the action of said operatingmeans at a predetermined position of said carriage memher.

2. In an electrically operated business machine havl ing printingmembers, in combination, a movable paper carriage; a plurality ofelectrically energizable actuating members for respectively actuatingthe printing members upon energization thereof to print on paper mountedon said paper carriage; energizing means connected in circuit with eachof said actuating members for actuating the.

same whenever an energizing circuit therefor is completed; a pluralityof manually operable first switching means connected in circuit betweensaid energizing means and each of said actuating members, each ofwsaidfirst switching meansbeing respectively movable between a plurality ofcircuit-closing and circuit-opening positions; a stepping switchconnected in circuit between said energizing means and said plurality offirst switching means, said stepping switch being sequentially movablethrough a plurality of respectively different circuit-closing positions,in each of which said stepping switch cooperates with a respectivelydifferent one of said first switching means to energize at least one ofsaid actuating members; operating means for moving said stepping switchsequentially through its circuit-closing positions and therebyenergizing at least one of said actuating members to actuate at leastone of said printing members; tabulating means cooperating with saidmovable paper carriage to move the same into predetermined tabularpositions, whenever desired; and third switching means associated withsaid movable paper carriage and operated by the same when said carriageis moved to a new tabular position whereby said operated third switchingmeans initiates operation of saidoperating means.

3. In an electrically operated business machine having printing members,in combination, a movable paper carriage; a plurality of firstelectrically energizable actuating members for respectively actuatingthe printing members upon energization thereof to print on paper mountedon said paper carriage; at least a second electrically energizableactuating member for moving said paper carriage upon energizationthereof; energizing means connected in circuit with each of saidactuating members for actuating the same whenever an energizing circuittherefor is completed; a plurality of manually operable first switchingmeans connected in circuit between said energizing means and each ofsaid actuating members, each of said first switching means beingrespectively movable between a plurality of circuit-closing andcircuit-opening positions; a stepping switch connected in circuitbetween said energizing means and said plurality of first switchingmeans, said stepping switch being sequentially movable through aplurality of respectively difierent circuit-closing positions, in eachof-which said stepping switch cooperates with a respectively differentone of said first switching means to energize at least one of saidactuating members; operating means for moving said stepping switchsequentially through its circuit-closing positions and therebyenergizing at least one of-said actuating members to actuate at leastone of said printing members and said actuating member to move the papercarriage a predetermined amount; and third switching means associatedwith said movable paper carriage and operated by the same when saidcarriage is moved to a new position whereby said operated thirdswitching-means initiates operation of said operating means.

4. In an electrically operated business machine having printing members,an arrangement for automatically printing a predetermined combination ofcharacters a plurality of times, comprising, in combination, a movablepaper carriage; a plurality of electrically energizable actuatingmembers for respectively actuating the printing members of thepredetermined combination upon energization thereof to print on papermounted on said paper carriage; energizing means connected in circuitwith each of said actuating members for actuating the same whenever anenergizing circuit therefor is completed; a plurality of manuallyoperable first switching means connected in circuit between saidenergizing means and each of said actuating members, each of said firstswitching means being respectively movable between a plurality ofcircuit-closing and circuit-opening positions to establish thepredetermined combination of characters; a stepping switch connected incircuit between said energizing means and said plurality of firstswitching means, said stepping switch being sequentially movable througha plurality of respectively different circuit-closing positions, in eachof which said stepping switch cooperates with a respectively differentone of said first switching means to energize at least one of saidactuating members; operating means for moving said stepping switchsequentially through its circuit-closing positions and therebyenergizing in each of its circuit-closing positions, respectively, atleast one of said actuating members to actuate at least one of saidprinting members of said predetermined combination; tabulating meanscooperating with the movable paper carriage to move the same intopredetermined tabular positions, whenever desired; and third switchingmeans associated with said movable paper carriage and operable by thesame when said carriage is moved to a new tabular position whereby saidoperated third switching means initiates operation of said operatingmeans. i

5. In an electrically operated business machine having printing members,an arrangement for automatically printing a predetermined combination ofcharacters a plurality of times, comprising, in combination, a movablepaper carriage, a plurality of electrically energizable actuatingmembers for respectively actuating the printing members of thepredetermined combination upon energization thereof to print on papermounted on said paper carriage; energizing means connected in circuitwith each of said actuating members for actuating the same whenever anenergizing circuit therefor is completed; a plurality of manuallyoperable first switching means connected in circuit between saidenergizing means and each of said actuating members, each of said firstswitching means being respectively movable between a plurality ofcircuit-closing and circuit-opening positions to establish thepredetermined combination of characters; a plurality of indicating meansconnected to said manually operable switching means for indicating thecombination of characters determined by the positions of said firstswitching means; a stepping switch connected in circuit between saidenergizing means and said plurality of first switching means, saidstepping switch being sequentially movable through a plurality ofrespectively different circuit-closing positions, in each of which saidstepping switch cooperates with a respectively different one of saidfirst switching means to energize at least one of said actuatingmembers; operating means for moving said stepping switch sequentiallythrough its circuit-closing positions and thereby energizing in each ofits circuit-closing positions, respectively, at least one of saidactuating members to actuate at least one of said printing members ofsaid predetermined combination; tabulating means cooperating with saidmovable paper carriage to move the same into predetermined tabularpositions, whenever desired; and third switching means associated withsaid movable paper carriage and operable by the same when the carriageis moved to a new tabular position whereby said operated third switchingmeans initiates operation of said operating means.

6. In an electrically operated business machine having printing members,in combination, a movable carriage member mounted on the businessmachine and adapted to have a paper mounted therein for printingpurposes; a plurality of electrically energizable actuating members forrespectively actuating the printing members upon energization thereof;energizing means connected in circuit with each of said actuatingmembers for energizing the same whenever an energizing circuit thereforis completed; a plurality of first switching means connected in circuitbetween said energizing means and each of said actuating members, eachof said first switching means being respectively movable between aplurality of circuitclosing and circuit-opening positions; a pluralityof second switching means connected in circuit between said ener--gizing means and said plurality of first switching means, each of saidsecond switching means being respectively movable between acircuit-closing position for each of said first switching means,respectively, and a circuit-opening position therefor; electromagneticoperating means having a plurality of normally opened and normallyclosed contacts connected in circuit between said energizing means andsecond switching means and adapted to operate in combination forsequentially moving said second switching means through each of saidcircuit-closing positions whereby when one of said first switching meansand one of said second switching means are simultaneously incircuit-closing position, an energizing circuit for one of saidactuating members is completed and said one actuating member isenergized to actuateat least one printing member; and third switchingmeans cooperating with said carriage member and adapted to be moved bythe same between circuit-opening and circuit-closing positions forinitiating the action of said operating means at a predeterminedposition of said carriage member.

7. In an electrically operated business machine having printing members,in combination, a movable paper carriage, a plurality of electromagneticactuating members for respectively actuating the printing members uponenergization thereof to print on paper mounted on said paper carriage;energizing means connected in circuit with each of said actuatingmembers for actuating the same whenever an energizing circuit thereforis completed; a plurality of manually operable first switching meansconnected in circuit between said energizing means and each of saidelectromagnetic actuating members, each of said first switching meansbeing respectively movable between a.plurality of circuit-closing andcircuit-opening positions; a cam-operated stepping switch connected incircuit between said energizing means andsaid plurality of firstswitching means, said stepping switch being sequentially movable througha plurality of respectively diflerent circuit-closing positions, in eachof which said stepping switch cooperates with a respectively differentone of said first switching means to energize at least one of saidactuating members; electromagnetic operating means for moving saidstepping switch sequentially through its circuit-closing positions andthereby energizing at least one of said actuating members to actuate atleast one of said printing members; tabulating means cooperating withsaid movable paper carriage to move the same into predetermined tabularpositions, whenever desired; and third switching means associated withsaid movable paper carriage and operable by the same when said carriageis ,moved to a new tabular position whereby said operated thirdswitching means initiates operation of said operating means.

8. A business machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said firstswitching means include a manually operated slide contact.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS wax

